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Monday, November 8, 2010

Bush Rehab

“Barney spotted our neighbor’s lawn, where he promptly took care of his business. There I was, the former president of the United States, with a plastic bag on my hand, picking up that which I had been dodging for the past eight years.”

So writes George W. Bush in his memoir Decision Points. After being mostly out of sight since he left office, Bush resurfaced during the baseball post-season as his former team the Texas Rangers reached the World Series. We saw him with his hand over his heart during the playing of God Bless America, and in countless other shots watching the game from seats behind home plate at the Rangers Ballpark. Alongside his father, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Game 4. Now he is back for more. Bush will be releasing his book this week and will make the usual round of television appearances, including one on Oprah, but also with Rush Limbaugh, and the hosts at Fox, to promote the book. As noted in the Times this morning, these interviews will be conversational, not prosecutorial, and we should not expect any Frost/Nixon-type confrontations. Will this be the pinnacle of his rehabilitation effort or the beginning of a long slog, to coin a phrase, towards reshaping his legacy? What is clear is that we will have to clean up the mess Barney's owner made for years to come. [Related posts: Pitfalls, George Bush Facebook Contest]